FreeTDS Development Group

[Dossy Shiobara <dossy AT panoptic.com>]

On 2008.05.29, James K. Lowden <jklowden AT freetds.org> wrote:
> Dossy Shiobara wrote:
> > However, multi-licensing of works is not uncommon.  Vendors such as
> > MySQL offer code under GPL or commercial license.
> 
> It would take some doing to change the FreeTDS license, supposing there
> were need or desire.  As a strictly legal matter, perhaps, there are just
> a few copyright holders.  But there were many contributors, and I for one
> wouldn't agree to any change absent a strong effort to reach all of them
> and get their consent.  

My point wasn't to multi-license FreeTDS.  My point was that Microsoft's
MCPP specifications are multi-licensed.

> Observe: this is quite shrewd.  Microsoft promises not to sue me as a
> personal person working on a project on the Internet.  There wasn't much
> money in that anyway, and they get the "good" publicity.  ("The only thing
> worse than being talked about is not being talked about.")  Meanwhile, if
> perchance someone *is* trying to compete, they have to talk to daddy.  

I don't see this as an issue around competition.  It's about making
money.  If you develop it for free and release it as open source,
Microsoft in turn grants you full permission to do so.  If you sell your
product or at least do not distribute the source, then Microsoft wants
your money to do so.

I almost think this is fair, if you ask me.

Regardless, I think FreeTDS is free to continue to fully develop a TDS
implementation without impairment, thanks to this.

-- 
Dossy Shiobara              | dossy AT panoptic.com | http://dossy.org/
Panoptic Computer Network   | http://panoptic.com/
  "He realized the fastest way to change is to laugh at your own
    folly -- then you can let go and quickly move on." (p. 70)